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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fall — to drop
  4. root — of a plant
  5. fall — the season
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. present — a gift
  10. root — of a word
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — there
  13. row — a line
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. present — the time now
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. row — to paddle
  20. object — a thing
  21. fall — to drop
  22. object — an aim
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. root — the cause

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com